Beltway Weekend Services Audio Podcastleri

Kindness is compassion in action (Ephesians 4:32). A key part of putting on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness, is extending kindness to one another. Unfortunately, many wrongly associate being kind with weakness. God demonstrates both kindness and righteousness, both kindness and power (Psalm 23:6; J…

Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10). In fact, Jesus boldly proclaims that He is the bread of life (John 6:35), which was a hard teaching for many of His disciples at the time. Jesus makes the promise that those who come to Him hungry and thirsty will be blessed and filled (Matthew 5:6). Jesus even taught His followers to ask their Heav…

Followers of Jesus are called to no longer steal but to work hard for God’s glory (Ephesians 4:28). If we have given our lives to Jesus, we are engaged in a spiritual battle to put off the old self and to put on the new self, to think and act differently from the world around us. Part of putting off the old self means we should no longer steal. We …

God-like purity is seen through the way we use words (Ephesians 4:29). The Bible is clear: God is holy and is like no other. In particular, God is like no other inpurity. Putting off the old self and putting on the new self (Ephesians 4:22-24) means becoming like God in purity. Such purity is intimately connected with our words because what we spea…

We cannot be like God and not be angry (Ephesians 4:26-27). In fact, we are commanded in Ephesians 4:26 to be angry and to not sin. Anger is either a destructive or protective energy released in defense of something we love. Jesus – who was without sin – became angry at religious leaders for keeping people away from God (Mark 3:5). Loving, righteou…

Speaking truth is foundational to being like God (Ephesians 4:21-25). While we instinctively long for honesty and integrity within ourselves, our children, and our leaders, we each have a propensity to lie. As we embrace Jesus and say yes to Him, we begin a lifelong journey of becoming like Him. When we grow in our likeness to God, that propensity …

Jesus defeated death that we might live in increasing peace now (John 20:19-21). But often our idea of peace is wrong. In an anxious, uncertain, chaotic, depressed, and angry world, we tend to think that peace is that rare moment when things are circumstantially perfect without any conflict (which means we never have peace). But what if peace is no…

We cannot truly live until we are ready to die (Matthew 27:52-53). This certainty is highlighted by one of the Easter eggs – a small detail – in the account of Jesus’ crucifixion. As Jesus yielded up His spirit on Good Friday, an earthquake takes place that opens the tombs of many dead. And after the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, the bodi…

Jesus died that we might live in joy (Hebrews 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:16). This truth shouts to us in some of the unusual, lesser-known details – the Easter eggs – of Jesus’ crucifixion. One such Easter egg is that God chose to make the world completely dark the last three hours that Jesus was on the cross (Matthew 27:45). In His last moments, Jesu…

We are better when we grow together (Ephesians 4:13-16). We miss out on true growth – on the abundant life God has for us – when we attempt to navigate our faith journey alone. Maturing as a follower of Jesus is intricately tied to unity in our relationships with other followers of Jesus, to walking in healthy partnership with other believers. Just…

Living for Jesus means living in unity (Ephesians 4:1-6). Unity is not based on who we are or what we do, nor is it based on a code, cause, political platform, or preference. Unity is based on the salvation we have received through Jesus, that we bear His name and are a part of His family. And because of this reality, unity is not something we crea…

We are called to practice gratitude in every situation (Colossians 3:17; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Gratitude has a distinct, positive impact on our relationships, as well as our physical and mental health. It enhances empathy, reduces aggression, improves self-esteem, and leads to better sleep. But gratitude does not happen naturally. …

While politics are important, they are not of first importance (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:20). When we become followers of Jesus, we give our primary allegiance to the kingdom of God and become ambassadors of that kingdom. Our first concern must be people meeting Jesus and experiencing a transformation of heart through Him. Unfortunatel…

Flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:9-20). God created sex to bond the body, soul, and spirit of a man and woman together within a marriage relationship. Sex is a tool designed to help two become one (Ephesians 5:31). Anything outside of this design and purpose is sexual immorality and causes tremendous harm and damage on countless levels. Thou…

God created sex within marriage to be amazing and enjoyable (Genesis 2:20-25). He is pro-sex, having established that a man and woman, in marriage, are to leave their parents and become one flesh with each other. Beyond just procreation, God desires that sex be life-giving and fully satisfying (Song of Solomon 4:12-16, 7:7-8), that we should be int…

Jesus accepted people without affirming the sins in their lives (Luke 19:5-8). He led with grace without compromising truth (John 1:14), especially when approaching difficult topics like gender identity. Engaging this issue requires us to understand that every individual is born with a sinful nature which manifests itself differently in every perso…

We contend for all life. When it comes to difficult and weighty issues of our day, like abortion, we must look to Jesus as our example. He was full of grace and truth, accepting people without affirming the sins in their lives (John 1:14; 8:5-11). He showed people their worth and value while also offering them opportunity to change. This is a model…

Do you want a refill of God’s Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-18). Every person, regardless of their ethnicity or background, desires hope, joy, and satisfaction. Unfortunately, many seek to find that satisfaction – and to escape the pain and challenges of reality – in excessive alcohol, mind-altering drugs, unbridled materialism, and/or sexuality without b…

We can – and should – understand what the will of God is for our lives (Ephesians 5:15-17). His will always leads to what is best. The providential will of God refers to the things that He has determined to do no matter what. The moral will of God refers to the commands in His Word that we can freely choose to obey or disobey. And the personal will…

Fuel the fire of your faith (Ephesians 5:15-16). With so many things and people vying for our time and attention, it is incredibly easy to become distracted and unfocused. If we are not careful in how we live – being sober-minded and wise in our choices – we give opportunity to the enemy to keep us from God’s best. Our Heavenly Father longs for us …

Happy New Year! Sermon from January 1, 2023

Worship is when we treasure Jesus above all (Luke 2:19, 51). Mary, the mother of Jesus, was as ordinary as any of us. She was mostly likely an inexperienced teenager from a family of little means or wealth. She was not from an important city nor was she exceptional in school or in a particular craft or trade. Most likely she could not read or write…

Extravagant obedience leads to abundant life (Luke 2:41-52). When Jesus is twelve years old, His parents (Joseph and Mary) accidentally leave Him in Jerusalem as they head back to their hometown of Nazareth. Once they realize that Jesus is not with them, they return to Jerusalem and eventually find Him in the temple sitting and talking with the tea…

Nothing is more extravagant than God’s heart for us (John 1:1-3). In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth because He wanted to love us. In His all-sufficiency, glory, and goodness, He had no need to create. But He desired for us to experience His love, and to freely choose to love Him in return. The critical question is this: why did Go…

Jesus will always show up just in time (Genesis 22:1-18). The difficulties we face are tests and opportunities for us to fully trust the goodness and provision of God. Our trust and obedience to God amid our struggles produces steadfastness and maturity in us. Just as Jesus – the angel of the LORD – appears to Abraham right as Abraham is about to s…

Jesus longs for us to mature so He can bless us (Genesis 32:22-32). Though God blesses humanity in countless ways just because of who He is, the blessings that satisfy the deeper longings of our hearts (e.g. for peace, joy, confidence, etc.) must be wrestled for. Just as Jacob wrestled Jesus – in what Biblical scholars call an Old Testament Christo…

Jesus never quits on anyone (Exodus 3:1-14). Our failures, mistakes, and weaknesses are not greater than He is. He is the LORD – Yahweh or Yehovah – and His name is the answer to every question, the solution to every problem, and the fulfillment of every longing or desire deep within us. He is our strength when we are weak, and He calms every fear.…

Seasons are inevitable and are for our benefit (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11). According to King Solomon, there is a time for everything under the heavens. And each season, regardless of how amazing or how difficult it may be, has meaning and purpose in God’s eyes. He desires that we see Him moving and working in this season, and that we receive all that He…

As those who have found hope in Jesus, we can influence the culture around us plagued with hopelessness (Daniel 3:8-30). Rather than withdrawing from or warring against the world around us, we are called to be salt and light to it (Matthew 5:13-14). The world or culture around us is fertile ground desperately looking for what we have: the Spirit of…

I can do anything that the Father says to do (Ephesians 3:14-21). Because God has put eternity into our hearts, something within us longs to make a difference in the lives of others. When we walk closely with the Father and are yoked with Him, His power in us enables us to do those things that truly matter and have eternal impact. When we live in s…

Every child of God has authority for the impossible (Matthew 16:13-19). When we are like Peter, confessing Jesus to be the Christ and the Son of the living God, we are given keys of the kingdom of heaven. Those keys – which represent the Holy Spirit – give us the power and ability to become what we think is impossible to become, and to do what we k…

Our Heavenly Father longs to provide for us (Matthew 6:25-34). His heart is for us to know and experience the rest, peace, and abundant life He has to offer. It is the way of His kingdom. But worry and anxiety are stealing these things from us, especially as we strive to live in our own strength and power. God invites us to fully believe and embrac…

We need God’s presence more than His power (Exodus 33:1-16). We are made for presence, with one another and with God. Moses was keenly aware of this truth as he was about to lead Israel into the Promised Land. He tells God, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.” Moses understood that a life of rest, which our hearts l…

Sabbath is the Father’s gift to His children (Exodus 20:8-11). God made the Sabbath for man (not man for the Sabbath) and designed humanity to function best when we honor the idea of keeping a Sabbath. We were designed for renewal, to take a breath. The inability to rest, to sabbath, is actually an indication of slavery and bondage. True children o…

When you look in the mirror, deep within you, who do you believe you are? The way we answer that question is one of the most important things about us. The problem is that we attempt to find our identity in so many places other the only place it can be found. Restlessness results from refusing to see myself first as a child of God. But we struggle …

Do you find yourself in a place of constant busyness? Are you striving to obtain something different? Are you working and running hard to become somebody? STOP! Jesus desires you to experience everything He has secured for you. The Lord is calling YOU to the restful life, a place of resting in Him, and it is in this place...everything changes! Join…

Prayer is the right tool to put on the armor of God. We are to pray at all times. Paul isn't telling us to quit our jobs, to abandon our marriages, to exit school and do nothing else in our lives but pray, but he is using hyperbole to implore us to make prayer a regular and often part of our daily existence. We are to be a people who see and say "T…

The heart of the Gospel is bringing peace. "We were God's enemies but he made us his friends through the death of his son." (Romans 5:10) That which characterizes the sons and daughters of God is that we seek to make peace. The way we disagree matters as much as what we disagree on. Sermon from August 28, 2022 To watch this sermon or other sermons,…

Every-day carry is a collection of useful items that are consistently carried on person every day. Make sure you get in God's word, and God's word gets in you. To take up the sword of the spirit takes time. It takes energy. It takes prioritization. Sermon from August 21, 2022 To watch this sermon or other sermons, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: …

Faith is one of the most important tools for us to utilize in the midst of the battles raging around us. Every one of us who is a follower of Jesus, can resist any fiery dart, any attack the enemy might want to toss our way, by utilizing the shield of faith. We have to intentionally grab hold of the shield of faith. We can collectively use the shie…

Most of our battle against the enemy is not in the circumstances we face. The battle is in the mind. So, in all circumstances it is vital to protect our mind through the intentional practice of God focus which empowers victory. Sermon from August 7, 2022 To watch this sermon or other sermons, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: "Beltway Park Church"…

Obedience to God's truth best protects all that is vital. Sermon from July 31, 2022 To watch this sermon or other sermons, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: "Beltway Park Church"

Putting on "truth" daily is central for victory in our lives. Sermon from July 24, 2022 To watch this sermon or other sermons, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: "Beltway Park Church"

In life we are not powerless by the reality of our enemy in the spiritual battles we face. This week we are reminded that we cannot be passive, we must be equipped. Sermon from July 17, 2022 To watch this sermon or other sermons, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: "Beltway Park Church"

We have a role to play. Receive the light of life by loving God with all that we are, and illuminate the world around us by loving our neighbor as ourselves. Sermon from July 10, 2022 To watch this sermon or other sermons, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: "Beltway Park Church"

Making time for the Great Commandment to love God and my neighbor is about choosing the GOD thing over the GOOD thing. Sermon from July 3, 2022 To watch this sermon or other sermons, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: "Beltway Park Church"

Jesus instructs us to love our neighbor - no ifs, no excepts, no excuses - simply love your neighbor. Sermon from June 26th, 2022 To watch this sermon or other sermons, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: "Beltway Park Church"

God designed us to be part of what He's doing in the world. We pursue His love and love for others by desiring spiritual gifts. Sermon from June 19th, 2022 To watch this sermon or other sermons, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: "Beltway Park Church"

The struggle that all believers have had is that we tend to interpret the Bible through the lens of our culture instead of interpreting our culture through the lens of the Bible. Spiritual gifts can seem weird, different, or even confusing, but spiritual gifts being used in love by every believer is the way Jesus shows Himself to the world. Sermon …

The type of love that we can walk in through the power of the Holy Spirit shapes us, influences us, and directs all aspects of our lives, including our spiritual gifts. Love has to be the lens that spiritual gifts are seen through. Sermon from June 5th, 2022 To watch this sermon or other sermons, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: "Beltway Park Chur…